Can Steady Path Society get my PR documents or my child's assessments before I arrive?

No. We're not a government office and we don't issue documents. We tell you exactly which office handles what, in what order, so you're not guessing from another country.

When should we start planning our move to Canada?

3 to 6 months before you leave, if you can. That gives enough time to gather documents, plan a budget, and line up temporary housing and health coverage before you land.

What documents does my child's disability require that a typical move wouldn't?

Bring IEPs, therapy or psychoeducational reports, diagnostic or behavioural assessments, and a written medication history, alongside the usual passports, visas, and immunization records.

Before you move

Before you arrive in Canada.

Start planning 3 to 6 months before you leave. Gather your documents, including your child’s. Plan your first year’s budget, and line up temporary housing and health coverage before you land. Here’s the order that works, and where Steady Path helps, free.

The federal steps are the same wherever you land: your permanent residence documents, your Social Insurance Number, the Canada Child Benefit, the Disability Tax Credit. Two steps are not federal. Health coverage and school registration are run by each province, and the ones named here are British Columbia’s. That is where we work. Settling elsewhere in Canada, the order still holds. Only the office names change.

Start the plan 3–6 months out

We start by learning your family’s situation: your child’s needs, what you’re hoping to find in a community, what worries you most about the move. From there we build a rough pre-arrival plan together, so nothing critical gets left for the last week.

Documents to gather, yours and your child’s

Passports, permanent residence (PR) visa or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), birth and marriage certificates
Immunization records for everyone in the family
For a child with a disability: Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), therapy or psychoeducational reports, diagnostic or behavioural assessments, and a written medication history
Keep both paper and electronic copies of everything

We don’t issue government documents. We point you to the right office and help you get organized.

Money and housing before you land

A realistic first-year budget: temporary housing, food, transport, school supplies, winter clothing, a rental deposit, childcare
The basics of Canadian banking, and what things actually cost in British Columbia
Housing options by family size, what BC landlords typically ask for, and your rights as a tenant
Book temporary accommodation before you arrive if you can. Don't plan to find it from the airport

Healthcare and school, sorted before you arrive

BC’s health plan, the Medical Services Plan (MSP), has a waiting period, so bring travel or private insurance to cover it. Bring medical summaries, vaccination records and prescriptions. For a child with a disability, bring diagnostic assessments, occupational therapy (OT) or speech-language reports, behavioural or autism assessments, and IEPs. On school: BC’s system, English Language Learning support, and inclusive education services all matter here. Bring transcripts, report cards, attendance records, and any educational assessments.

Work, language, and your final travel checklist

Canada’s labour market works differently than what you’re used to. Credential recognition and a Canadian-style résumé matter. Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes are free if you qualify, so check before you arrive. Before you fly: confirm your dates, arrange airport transport, carry your documents and enough medication as carry-on, and pack for BC weather. Once you land, an intake with us gets you referred to healthcare, schools, employment support and housing, the same day if we can manage it.

Official resources to bookmark now

Your school district

School registration is run by the district you live in, not by the province, so the office you deal with depends on your address. These are the districts covering the areas we work in. Register as soon as you have a place to live: a district cannot start an assessment or plan supports for your child until your child is enrolled.

Settling somewhere else in British Columbia? The province lists every district and its contacts in its school district directory.

Not sure which one applies to your family? Ask us and we will point you to the right one.

Once you’ve landed, continue with your first weeks in BC. You can also read about how Steady Path began.

Questions

Before you arrive, answered plainly.

Can Steady Path Society get my PR documents or my child's assessments before I arrive?: No. We're not a government office and we don't issue documents. We tell you exactly which office handles what, in what order, so you're not guessing from another country.
When should we start planning our move to Canada?: 3 to 6 months before you leave, if you can. That gives enough time to gather documents, plan a budget, and line up temporary housing and health coverage before you land.
What documents does my child's disability require that a typical move wouldn't?: Bring IEPs, therapy or psychoeducational reports, diagnostic or behavioural assessments, and a written medication history, alongside the usual passports, visas, and immunization records.
Does BC health coverage start the day we arrive?: No. The Medical Services Plan (MSP) has a waiting period, so bring travel or private insurance to bridge the gap before MSP coverage begins.

You don't have to plan this alone

We'll go through your list before you fly.

Free, one-on-one help getting your family's documents and plan in order, before you land.

Book a session Your first weeks in BC